Popular EDDM Postcard Sizes and USPS Mailing Guidelines
The three sizes that carry most Every Door Direct Mail campaigns are 6.5 by 9, 8.5 by 11, and 6.5 by 12 inches. Here is why they work, what USPS requires, and how to pick the right one for your neighborhood.
The most popular EDDM postcard sizes are 6.5 by 9, 8.5 by 11, and 6.5 by 12 inches. To qualify for Every Door Direct Mail, a card must mail as a flat, meaning it clears the letter maximum (taller than 6-1/8 inches, longer than 11-1/2 inches, or thicker than 1/4 inch) and stays within 15 by 12 by 3/4 inch. Because EDDM Retail charges one flat rate for any qualifying size, you pick the size for the message, not the postage.
At a glance
The three popular sizes, drawn to scale
Same postage, different canvas. Here is how the three most-ordered EDDM postcards compare side by side, from the compact 6.5 by 9 up to the panoramic 6.5 by 12.
Quick tips
The short version before you order
Choose 6.5 by 9 inches to keep print costs low, and step up to 8.5 by 11 or 6.5 by 12 when the message needs room. Every EDDM postcard must clear the letter maximum (taller than 6-1/8 inches or longer than 11-1/2 inches) and stay within 15 by 12 by 3/4 inch. Leave the top band of the address side clear for the indicia and the ECRWSS endorsement, address it to "Local Postal Customer," and drop up to 5,000 pieces per ZIP each day with no permit.
The top 3 popular EDDM postcard sizes (and why)
Most successful Every Door Direct Mail campaigns land on one of three sizes. They are the ones that balance mailbox impact against print cost, and every one of them clears the USPS rules that let a postcard mail as a flat.
- 6.5 by 9 inches is the default. It is the smallest common size that qualifies for EDDM postage, so it keeps printing affordable while still giving you a real canvas. If you are testing a single offer or a grand opening, start here.
- 8.5 by 11 inches is the full letter-sheet size. It is the go-to for restaurant menus, service checklists, and multi-coupon layouts because there is room for everything without crowding.
- 6.5 by 12 inches is the panoramic option. The long shape stands out in a stack of mail and gives you a natural before-and-after strip or a wide map to your location.
Want the full dimension table across every USPS-eligible option? Our companion EDDM postcard sizes guide lists them all, and the step-by-step EDDM walkthrough covers sizes, reviews, and costs end to end.
Why these sizes win: postage barely moves
Here is the part that surprises most first-time mailers. With EDDM Retail, USPS charges one simplified per-piece rate for any card that qualifies as a flat. A 6.5 by 12 inch postcard costs the same to mail as a 6.5 by 9 inch postcard. The postage does not scale with the size.
That flips the usual logic. Instead of shrinking your design to save on mailing, you choose the size that carries the message best and let the flat rate work in your favor. The only cost that grows with size is printing, because larger cards use more paper and press time.
So the size decision is really a design and budget decision. Pick 6.5 by 9 to keep the print bill low, or go bigger when the extra real estate earns its keep. If you are weighing EDDM against a targeted campaign, this breakdown of what EDDM is lays out when saturation mail makes sense.
USPS EDDM size requirements, in plain numbers
EDDM postcards mail as flats, which is a specific USPS mail class with its own dimensions. To qualify as a flat, a piece has to be bigger than a standard letter in at least one direction. Clear one of these and you are in:
- Taller than 6-1/8 inches (6.125"), or
- Longer than 11-1/2 inches (11.5"), or
- Thicker than 1/4 inch (0.25").
Then there is a ceiling. An EDDM flat cannot exceed 15 inches long, 12 inches high, or 3/4 inch thick. Anything that fits between the letter minimum and that maximum is fair game, which is exactly why 6.5 by 9, 8.5 by 11, and 9 by 12 all work.
Thickness matters too. A card that is too flimsy can jam automated sorting, so a heavier stock is worth it. For the file-setup side of these rules, the EDDM file setup guide and the broader USPS postcard guidelines spell out the details, and any term you do not recognize is defined in the printing terms glossary.
The address side: indicia, ECRWSS, and the clear zone
An EDDM postcard is not addressed to a person. It is addressed to a route, so the mailing side follows its own layout rules. Get this band right and your pieces move through the Post Office without a second trip.
- Indicia block. Reserve the top-right corner for the postage indicia, roughly a 4 by 2 inch clear space. This is where the permit imprint, meter, or precanceled stamp lives.
- ECRWSS endorsement. The line "ECRWSS" sits above the address block. It tells USPS the piece is walk-sequenced saturation mail.
- Recipient line. Instead of a name, you print "Local Postal Customer" or "Postal Customer" so one design covers the whole route.
Keep the rest of that side clean so the barcode and endorsement stay readable. Our guide to addressing a postcard shows the placement, and the ten elements of an effective postcard covers what to do with the front.
Other EDDM size options worth knowing
The top three cover most campaigns, but a few other sizes earn their place depending on the goal and the budget.
- 8.5 by 7 inches is a compact flat, a small step up from the minimum with a slightly wider shape than 6.5 by 9.
- 9 by 12 inches is the large-format favorite for real estate, auto, and home services that want a poster-like presence in the mailbox.
- 11 by 6 inches is a wide, short strip that reads well as a coupon banner or a single bold headline.
- 12 by 15 inches is the maximum EDDM flat. It is dramatic and rare, best reserved for a hero announcement where the size itself is the message.
If a piece needs to fold or you are comparing postcards to other formats, pairing postcards with envelope sizes and the full print specs and dimensions reference help you line everything up before you order.
How to choose the right EDDM size
Since postage stays flat, the choice comes down to three questions. Answer them in order and the right size usually picks itself.
- What is the offer? One clear call to action fits beautifully on 6.5 by 9. A menu, a service list, or a sheet of coupons wants 8.5 by 11.
- How crowded is the mailbox? If your neighborhood gets a lot of mail, the long 6.5 by 12 or the large 9 by 12 helps you stand out on shape alone.
- What is the print budget? Smaller cards cost less per piece to print, so a tight budget favors 6.5 by 9, while a flagship campaign can justify going big.
When you are ready to commit, order Direct Mail Postcards in the size you landed on, or browse the full direct mail services collection to add matching flyers. Building your route list next? Here is how to build or rent a mailing list if you decide to pair saturation mail with a targeted follow-up.
What EDDM postcards actually cost
EDDM has two costs, and keeping them separate makes budgeting simple.
Printing is what you pay 4OVER4.COM. It scales with size, paper stock, and quantity, and the live price appears as you configure the order. Larger cards and heavier stocks cost more per piece, which is the main reason the compact 6.5 by 9 stays so popular.
Postage is what you pay USPS. For EDDM Retail it is a single simplified per-piece rate for every qualifying flat, paid at the Post Office with no permit for up to 5,000 pieces per ZIP each day. Because you skip buying a mailing list, the total cost per household lands lower than most targeted mail.
Put the two together and you can plan a drop with real numbers. See live print pricing below, and read the step-by-step EDDM cost breakdown for a full example.
Set up the file so it mails the first time
A rejected mailing costs you a trip and a reprint, so a few setup habits pay for themselves.
- Build in the full bleed. Extend background art 1/8 inch past every trim edge so no white slivers show after cutting.
- Respect the safe zone. Keep text and logos at least 1/8 inch inside the trim so nothing important gets clipped.
- Design to 300 DPI. Photos and logos at full resolution keep the print crisp at any of the larger EDDM sizes.
- Leave the indicia and endorsement clear. Do not let art creep into the top band of the address side.
If you would rather not wrangle a template, the online designer lays out the postcard for you, clear zones included, and the postcard mailing rules guide covers what happens after the file is ready.
Specs and pricing
Direct mail postcard specs and live pricing
Configure your EDDM run and watch the price update by size, stock, and quantity, straight from the 4OVER4.COM configurator.
| Quantity | Price Per Unit | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 17.9¢ | $89.68 |
| 1,000 | 17.1¢ | $170.53 |
| 2,000 | 9.35¢ | $186.95 |
| 3,000 | 6.84¢ | $205.13 |
| 4,000 | 5.58¢ | $223.31 |
| 5,000 | 4.83¢ | $241.51 |
| 6,000 | 4.56¢ | $273.85 |
| 7,000 | 4.37¢ | $306.18 |
Print it
Order EDDM-ready postcards at 4OVER4
Wally sizes up your EDDM mailer
Same postage every time, so pick the size for the message
Wally lines up the three go-to EDDM sizes and points out the trick most first-time mailers miss: USPS charges one flat rate for any qualifying postcard, so a bigger card mails for the same postage. Start with 6.5 by 9 to keep printing cheap, go 8.5 by 11 or 6.5 by 12 when you need room, keep the top band clear for the indicia, and drop up to 5,000 pieces per ZIP with no permit. Configure your run and Wally will show the live price by size.
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Where to go next
By the numbers
The EDDM rules that shape every size
Common Questions
Common questions about EDDM postcard sizes
What are the most popular EDDM postcard sizes?
The three sizes that do the most work are 6.5 by 9 inches, 8.5 by 11 inches, and 6.5 by 12 inches. The 6.5 by 9 inch card is the most-ordered because it is the smallest size that still qualifies as a flat, so it earns the low EDDM postage while keeping print costs down. The larger two give you more room for menus, coupons, or a bold hero image without changing what you pay USPS.
What are the USPS size requirements for EDDM postcards?
An EDDM piece has to mail as a flat, not a letter. That means it must exceed at least one letter maximum: taller than 6-1/8 inches, longer than 11-1/2 inches, or thicker than 1/4 inch. It also cannot exceed 15 inches long, 12 inches high, or 3/4 inch thick. Anything between those two limits qualifies, which is why postcard sizes like 6.5 by 9 and 9 by 12 are so common.
Does a bigger EDDM postcard cost more to mail?
No. EDDM Retail uses a single simplified per-piece rate for every qualifying flat, so a 6.5 by 12 inch card mails for the same postage as a 6.5 by 9 inch card. The cost that does change is printing, since more paper and larger presses cost more per piece. Pick your size for the design you want, then let the flat postage rate work in your favor.
Do I need a permit to send EDDM postcards?
Not for EDDM Retail. You can mail up to 5,000 pieces per ZIP Code per day, pay postage at the Post Office, and skip the annual permit and mailing fee entirely. If you need to send more than 5,000 pieces to a single ZIP in a day, you move to EDDM BMEU, which does require a permit but unlocks higher volumes.
How do I choose the right EDDM postcard size?
Match the size to the message. A 6.5 by 9 inch card is ideal for a single strong offer at the lowest print cost. Step up to 8.5 by 11 inches when you need a full menu, a service list, or several coupons. Reach for 6.5 by 12 inches when you want a panoramic layout that stands out in a stack of mail. All three carry the same postage, so the decision comes down to content and budget.
How much do EDDM postcards cost to print at 4OVER4.COM?
Print pricing depends on the size, paper stock, and quantity you choose, and the live price shows up as you configure your order on the Direct Mail Postcards page. Postage is separate and is paid to USPS at the EDDM Retail rate. Between the two, EDDM stays one of the lowest cost-per-household ways to reach a neighborhood, because you skip the mailing list and pay a flat postage rate.
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